In what was an air combat simulation held in Finland, as part of NATO’s Atlantic Trident 2025 Exercise, a French Air and Space Force Rafale fighter “shot down” a U.S. F-35 stealth aircraft. Specifically, the symbolic victory of Dassault’s fighter occurred during maneuvers that recreated a close-range duel between it and its fifth-generation counterpart produced by Lockheed Martin, representing in turn a boost for the aircraft, whose image had taken a hit since its participation in Operation Sindoor carried out by India against Pakistan.
The development was later confirmed through a social media post by the French Air and Space Force, drawing the attention of analysts and aviation enthusiasts surprised by the Rafale’s victory—an aircraft seemingly inferior to the F-35 at first glance. The exercises carried out are highly useful in this respect, namely to assess under realistic conditions the deficiencies and strengths of each type of aircraft, as well as the different design and combat philosophies employed by each side.
This last point is not minor, considering that the French aircraft is especially designed to shine as one of the most maneuverable fighters today, which proved particularly useful for the outcome of the duel described above. The F-35, for its part, relies more on its stealth capabilities, which make it difficult for the enemy to detect at long distances, granting it an advantage when employing beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missiles that neutralize threats without putting the fighter at risk. For various analysts, the event therefore reflects the great complementarity that both platforms demonstrate when working together as part of NATO, without taking away from the celebrations of French enthusiasts over the shootdown.
Showcasing its close-combat capabilities further, it was also revealed that the Rafale managed to score at least two additional kills in maneuvers against a Finnish Air Force F-18 fighter, which also took part in its own simulated engagements following the clash involving the F-35. Taken as a whole, the exercise proved to be a success for the detachment of six French Rafales deployed from Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, along with 270 personnel providing logistical and maintenance support.
Finally, reviewing the scope of the Atlantic Trident 2025 exercise, it can be noted that it took place between June 16 and 27. It was a joint exercise bringing together elements from Finland—host for the first time—France, the U.S., and the United Kingdom, with the main objective of developing concepts of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), while also contributing to the integration of fourth- and fifth-generation platforms.
In that sense, it is worth highlighting that in addition to the aforementioned aircraft, U.S. F-15E Strike Eagles and British Eurofighter Typhoons also participated, complemented by A330 MRTT and KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft, A400M transport aircraft, and E-3F early warning aircraft. In total, the activity brought together more than 40 aircraft and nearly 1,000 personnel from the four countries. Draken International also provided its services for the occasion, acting as one of the aggressors in the exercise.
*Cover image: U.S. Air Force
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